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My favourite Torontorian Communicator, the sublime Ms P, recently posted about the power of the hand-written ‘thank you’ note. At the time her post reminded me of the book I had read years ago by Wendy Evans, Start and Grow Your Business in 90 Days or Less.
Don’t bother searching on Amazon for it — it’s out of print.
But in the book Evans waxes lyrical about the power of the hand-written ‘thank you’ note.
Then, when listening to Donna’s latest podcast whilst lying in bed feeling wretched, I was again reminded of the power of the hand-written note as she talked about how powerful it can be.
For several days now, in my training course, I have been banging on in various ways about the power of ‘story’ and why telling a story is so important to the success of any business communication. It’s something I believe passionately (I know… me, passionate? Who’d have thought…).
Whereas a novelist has 400 pages to tell a story, we often have but a few brief seconds to deliver a powerful opening, a benefit-laden body and a powerful close. A story is the most compelling way I know of to reach any group, no matter what their age, education, religion or culture.
I have also been banging on about how important a structure is, be it within a podcast or any type of communication.
I already use Donna’s 5 Myths of Podcasting (mp3) show as a way of letting my students know what podcasting is all about.
In her latest podcast Donna unwittingly reinforces everything I have been saying to my current crop of students for the last three days. For which I can only say “Thank you!”
In sales psychology there is the very well-known principle of the ‘third person’: that is, I may say fantastic things but you are less inclined to believe them than if someone else comes along out of the blue and says them, unpaid and unprompted. Even when it is paid and prompted there is still some residual ‘halo’ effect — which is why Nike and Pepsi and a thousand other companies use sportstars, movie stars and celebrities to promote their goods and services.
“Thank you!”Donna has just, in her podcast, given unprompted and unpaid third-party endorsement to all that I have been saying this week.
Donna: “wombat“.
Everyone else: listen to her latest podcast and you’ll know what I mean…
Related Technorati posts: Donna Papacosta
